Wrapping machine



Feb. 26, 1929. "1,703,641

W. A. SOWDEN WRAPPING MACHINE Filed Nov. 21, '1925 6 slung-sum 1 g i Q 4 4 I (9/ I I INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

Feb. 26, 1929.

W. A. SOWDEN WRAPPING MACHINE 2 .t e I t e m 6 Filed Nov. 21, 1925 8 Feb. 26, 1929.

w. A. SOWDEN WRAPPING MACHINE Filed 21, I925 6 Shoots-Shoot 3 ml/Egon w. A. sowDEN WRAPPING MACHINE Feb. 26,- 1929.

I Filgd Nov. 21, 1925 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR I (14M A TTORNEY.

Feb. 26, 1929. 1,703,641

w. A. SOWDEN WRAPPING MACHINE Filed NOV. 21, 1925 6 Shoots-Shoot 5 INVENTOR.

wi -M Feb. 26, 1929. 1,703,641

w. A. SOWDEN WRAPPING MACHINE Filed Nov. 21, 1925 6 Sheets-Sheet s INVENTOR.

A TTORNE Y.

Patented Feb. 26,1929.

UNITED STATES V a. sownmv, or covmoron, KENTUCKY.

I wmrme momma.

Application tiled. aovember 21,1925. Serial m. 70,595.

' My invention relates to wrapping machines, and itsobject is to wrap articles of spherical or approximately spherical shape,

especially fruits, such as oranges, apefruit, lemons and the like, or apples an sinnlarfruits, or v etable's or 0t er simllar articles to'which it is desired to apply wrappers rapidly and inexpensively, yet smooth y and uniformly.

I attain these ob'ects by the machine 1l1 ustrated, for exam is, in the accompany ng drawings, in whic Figure 1 is a rear side elevatlon of the entire machine;..

Fig. 2 is a detail planview of the gearing for operating the grippers and the holders;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal cross-section of the same on the plane of the line 3-3 of Flg. 2;

Fig. 4 is an elevation of the wrapper-feed end of the machine, or right-hand end as seenin Fig. 1, upper parts being broken away for lack of space;

Fig. 5 is a similar elevation of the artlclefeed end of the machine, or left-hand end as seen in Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a partial front elevation machine, showing the stop devlces; Fig. 7 is a detail plan view of part of the 0f the stop-device operating means for the gripper,

and holder gearing shown in Figs. 2 and 3;

Fig. 8 is a vertical longitudlnal sectlon of the machine on the plane of the line 8-8 of Fig 4, upper and right-hand and left-hand parts being omit tpd for lack of space Fig. 9 is a partial plan view showing the grippers and part of their operatmg mechanism, in open position; Fig. 10 is a similar closed position; Fig. 11 is a horizontal cross-sectlon through the rotary support chute, on the plane of the line 11'-11 of Fig. 8; and Fig. 12 is a side elevation oipone of the view of the same in wrapped articles.

,The frame of the machine consists of the front and rear side walls 1 and 2 and the top 3 extending across from one wall to the other,

Testing upon the top. edges of the walls, andv has centrally a circular depression down in which fits the gripper ring 4 with its upper surface far enough below the top surface of the frame top 3 .to accommodate the four grippers 5 (Figs. 9 and 10) each comprising a straight part succeeded by a curved part off- 65 set downwardly from the straight part and having inside the curve the spur 6. The

space in the top 3 above the ring 4 is enlarged into a rectangle; and the i ers 5 have the ends of their straight fulcrumed in the respective corners of this space on screws 7. The ends of the curved parts of the grippers 5 have slots 8 radial to the fulcrum screws 7, in which slots 8 engage respective screws'9 carried in the ring 4 at equal intervals therearound. The arrangement is such that at one position of the ring 4 the grippers 5 are swung out as shown in Fi' 9, each with a curved part under the straight part of an adjacent gripper and extending around the ring 4, leaving the central opening of the ring 4 unobstructed; and when the ring 4 is rotated one quarter revolution the grippers 5 are swung in across the ring openlng with their spurs 6 close together and defining a small cross-shaped opening A at the center of the ring (Fig. 10). For imparting to this gripper ring 4 its quarter revolution, a p1nion 10 is located in top 3 which cuts into the depression occupied by the ring 4 so that this pinion 10 can mesh with teeth 11 formed on the adjacent outer edge of the ring.

The rotary support chute 12 is.a cylindrical shell with axis vertical and having its upper open end closely fitting in and rotatable relatively to the grip er ring 4. The supports 13, three in num er, are resilient strips aving their upper ends fixed to the inside of the chute 12 next to its top; thesestrips bending inwardly in their downward extent,

and each having, a short distance below its fixed upper end, a nose 14 projecting out through a respective slot in the side of the chute 12 into engagement with, the-interiorly conical downwardly inclined upper part of the support-control ring 15 which closely embraces and slides up and down on the exterior of the chute 12, These supports 13 are equally spaced around the chute 12. The control ring 15 has the outwardly openi annular groove 16; and the support lever i? is fulcrumed at one end on the stirrup 18 depending from the to 3 at the rear near the article-feed end, an extends diagonally across, with aring-shaped middle part embracing the control ring 15 and having studs 19 extending radially inward and enga 'ng in the control ring groove 16 at opposite sides thereof. The chute 12 has a large opening 20 in one side, the control ring 15 also being cut away at this side so as not to obstruct this opening 20; and the bottom 21 of the a depression in the chute inclines down to gle lower ed e of this opening20 (Fig. 8). elow this ute bot tom 21 the shell has a disk 22 closing its lower end and fixed to its rim and having centrally the downwardly projected hub 23.

The frame walls 1 and 2 and-,the to 3 are projected out at one end, which is at t e left in 1, to support the standards 24 at front'and' rear, in the forked upper ends of which the reel 25 has its spindle journaled,

with springs 26 around the spindle, pressing conical plugs 27 into respective ends of the roll of wrapping material B, which is fed in strip form fromthe'reel across the top 3 by the'lower roll 28 and the upper roll 29. The lower roll 28 has a shaft j ournaled in the front and rear walls 1 and 2 and projecting out through the rear wall 2 with a sprocket wheel 30- fixed thereon; the top 3 having'a slot up through which this lower roll pro jects to coact with the upper roll 29, which has spindles bearing in upright slots in lugs 31 formed on the top 3 near its front and'rear edges. 1 The upper end of this slot preferably is 0 en ermittin read iremo'val and replacement of the upper roll 29. Also, preferably, the lower roll 28 has a corrugated rubber covering 32, while the upper roll has its a surface roughened, so that the two rolls the source of supplg' more effectively grip the wrapping material.

Between the location of these wrapperfeeding rolls 28 and 29 and that of the gripper mechanism before described, the top 3 has a transverse slot; and the lower blade 33 of the wrapper cutter is screwed to the'side of this slot next to the rolls, with its upper edge flush with the upper surface of the top 3, which has, at this side of the slot,- near its front and rear edges, the upstanding gu de lugs 34f The stripper bar .35, with upturned end cars 36 screwed to the inner faces of these lugs 34, extends across only sli htly above the top 3 close to the lower bl 33. The upper blade 37 of the wrapper cutter is screwed to the side of the yoke 38 facing 1 toward the rolls; this yoke 38 having hpright end parts 39 flanking and guided up and down on outwardly projected vertical guides 40 on the outer faces of 'the guide lugs 34, so that, the yoke sliding down on these the uper: blade-n37 slides closely v,past the lowerlade The walls 1 and 2 have recesses 41 at the ends of the blades, to accommodate the oke 38 in its lowered position. J r

T 'e-tubular article-feeding chute 42 is flanked and supported by two. standards 43 pro ected ears 46 (Figs. 5- and 6) between which is fulcrumed the section 47 projecting up through the slot 45 into the chute 42 and having an upper outer wing 48 and aninner lower wing 49 and between these a top edge 50; the general formation of this edge 50 and lower wing. 49 being concave, to approximately the radius of the, article being wrapped. This sector 47, tilted one 'way or the other, receives and detains an article, or

discharges the article to roll out the lower end of the chute while the following article is detained by the up r outer wing 48 until the sector is tilted bzck'to position for receiving this next article. This the articles, such as the oranges C, roll along the trough 44 and into the chute 42, by gravity, their feeding being controlled by this sector-47, to feed one article at a time to the gripping mechanism before described; To prevent the article from rolling otherwise than into the gripping mechanism,a guide loop 51 preferably extends from one side of the end of the phute 42 around to the other side, over the mechanism.

The rearwall'2 of the frame has, near the top and bottom, respectively, bearing arms 52 projecting rearward; and a rod,53 slides up and down in these arms with its upper part arched forwardly and then extending down-' wardly, carrying the positive; feeder 54 to descend from a position above the path of the incoming article, as shown, and push thearticle down through the gripping mechanism into the support chute 12. Preterably this positive feeder is a soft rubber disk, downwardly'concave, with a thin edge, so as not .to damage the article.

front to rear through the front wall 1,: cena motor: or the like may be suitably connected to-the outer front part of this shaft, to drive the entire machine. The rotor 56 isv fixed on the inner end part of thisshaft, and has two segments of gear teeth 57 and 58 on circnm-' ferentially remote partsof its periphery, and these segments also are offset axially of the .rotor so as to have distinct paths upon rotation of the rotor." This rotor 56 is spaced back away from the inside of thefront wall 1' a substantial distance. The driving shaft The driving shaft 55 is journaled from' t-rally thereof; and it will be understoodthat 55; and with it the rotor 56, always are r0.-

fated'over toward the wrapper-feed end of the machine,- as indicated by the arrows in Figs. 6 and 8; and the rotor, with its two segments 57 and 58, is designed to give a single I complete rotation to each one' of a number of pinions and gears arranged around the rotor in the path of one or the other segment thereof, as presently'will be" described. For

this purpose, all of these gears andpinions are of equal diameter, having the same number of teeth; and each segment 57 and 58 has such slightly less number of teeth as will cause each pinion or gear to turn exactly one revolution at each passa of the respective segment in mesh therewit Also, as to those elements termed pinions, it will be understood that the shaft mentioned in connection'with each of them isiextended horizontally from the front walll-to the rear wall 2, and jourthe rear wall 2 below the article-feeding chute 42, a sprocket wheel 63 is journaled, of the same size as the wheel 61, and a sprocket chain 64 is passed around these two wheels. The outwardly carried sprocket wheel 63 has a wrist 65 which is connected by a connecting rod 66 with the lower end of the article-feed control sector 47, so as torock the sector as the wheel 63 rotates. Also, this front shaft 60 just described, extends out through the rear and front walls 2 and 1 and has fixed on its outward extensions the crankdisk 67 and 67, respectively; having wrists 68 which, by suitable adjusting heads 69, are connected to respective chains 70 passing down under sheaves 71 journaled on the walls 1 and 2, and up to the upright parts 39 of the yoke 38, to which these chains are fixed. These cutteryoke parts 39 have rods 72 extending down and sliding in guides 73 on the 'walls 1 and 2, and around each rod is a helical spring 74 compressed between the respective guide 73 and a collar 75 fixed on the rod, so that the cutter yoke 38 is yieldingly held up, to be pulled down by the chains on rotation of the disks 67 and 67. t

In the upper part of the wrapper-feed end of the frame the pinion 76'is fixed-on a shaft 77 extending outpast the rear wall 2. The crank disk 78 is fixed to and journaled'coaxially with a gear 7 8" onfa stud 77' in the rear wall 2 (Fig. 1). The gear 78 meshes with a gear 78" of equal size, fixed on the rear extension of the shaft 77. The disk 78 has a wrist .7 9 which engagesin a horizontal channel bar 80 having its middle fixed to the upright rod 53 of the positive article feeder 54. The gears 78' and 78" are used merely because the disk .7 8 would be in the way of on the shaft 7 7.

The pinion 81,-fixed on the shaft 82 in the lower part of the wrapper-feed end of the ing op osite the space in front of the rotor.

Near t 1e rear wall 2 the shaft v82 has fixed on it the miter gear 83 in meshwith the miter gear 84 fixed on the shaft 85 inclining up with past the rear its u per end connected by a universal joint .86 ig. 5) to the hub 87 of'thepinion 10.

A bracket 88 embraces the two shafts 83 Above the pinion 81, turning loosely on a stud 89 fixed in and projecting rearwardly from the front wall 1, are two integral coaxial gears 90 and 91. The front gear 90 meshes-with that portion of the pinion 81 that is opposite the space between the wall 1 and t the rotor 56, out of the path of the front segment 57; and the rear car 91 is spaced back far enough not to mes having a clutch pin 93 (Figs. 2 and 3) pushedforward from a recess in its front side by a small helical spring 93 behind the pin in the recess. This pin 93 bears against the rear side of the rear gear 91, which has a segmental depression 94 with one end parallel with the pin 93 and the other end inclined; so that as the gears 90 and 91 are rotated by the rear segment 58 meshing with the gear 91, over toward the article-feed end or to the right in'Fig. 8, which is the operation that opens the grippers 5, the eccentric will be rotated, but the eccentric will not be rotated when these gears 90.

with the pinion 81 but to be in the path of the rear rotor segacting as the intermediate gear, which is the operation closing the grippers 5. This eccentric 92 has a rod 95 connected to the adjacent end of the support lever 17, and is so positioned relative to the gears 90 and 91 that it holds this lever 17 up when not being rotated.

Beneath therotor 56 is the pinion 96 fixed on the shaft 97 which also has a miter gear 98 fixed on it, meshing with a miter gear 99 fixed on the lower end of an upright shaft 100 having its upper end fixed in the hub 23 of the rotatable support chute 12. A bracket 101 embraces the two shafts 97 and 100 adjacent to the miter gears 98 and 99.

The pimon 102, in the lower part of the article-feed end of the frame, is fixed on a shaft 103 which projects out past the rear wall 2 and,has fixed on it a sprocket wheel 104 the same size as the sprocket wheel 30 of the lower wrapper-feed roll 28, and a sprocket chain 105 passes around these two wheels 30 and 104.

The lower roll 28 has its circumference equal to the'length of each article. q

All of the pinions 59, 76, 96 and 102 are in wrapper B used for wrapping the path of the front rotor segment 57, along with the rear portion of the pinion 81. .The

only element in the path of the rear rotor seg m nt 58 is the gear 91, as before described.

The meshing of the gearing of the rotatable support chute 12 is such that its sideopening 20 is toward the wrapper-feed end of the machine except when the chute is rotated;

. and a delivery trough 106 inclines down from the bottom of the chute 12, out past the end of the machine.

To hold all of'the pinions 59, 76, 81, 96 and 102, as well as the .gears90 and 91, exactly at I the end of a single revolution after the respective rotor segment 57 or 58 passes out .of mesh therewith, detent means are provided on the front side of the front wall 1, comprising disks 1 withnotches, and pawls to-engage in the respective notches; and to withdraw the pawls from the notches, the rotor, '56 has cam lugs in the paths of which the pawls have fingers- V so that the lugs can push the pawls away from the respective disks, as nowwill be described.

The front crank disk 67 serves also as the 'detent disk for the pinion 59 having the notch 107 in which the pawl 108 engages its detent 109 under tension of thespring 110 stretched from the pawl to a fastening on the wall 1.

*The finger 111 on this pawl 108 extends in through an opening 112 in the wall 1 close to the front side of the rotor 56, to be engaged by therotor cam lug 113, which pushes the pawl 2 108 away-from the disk 67 just before the segment 57 begins meshing with the pinion 59.

In like manner, the'other four pinions 6, 81, 96 and 102, with their shafts 77, 82, 97 and 103 extendedout through the wall 1, have fixed onthe shaft extensions the disks 114,

115, 116 and 117, having the notches 118, 119, 120 and 121, respectively, The pawls 122, 123, 124 and 125, with detents 126,127, 128 and 129 to enter the respective notches under tension of the respective springs 130, 131, 132 and 133, have fingers 134, 135, 136 and 137 extending in through the wall openings 138, 139.

140 and 141, respectively, into the .path of said pawl 108,,w-ith itsdetent 109 withdrawn from the notch 107 of the disk 67, by the cam lug V j 108; and the segment 57 is seen about to begin 113' engaging with the finger 111 of the pawl with the pinion 59. It is this junclt'ure o the-operation which is illustrated throughout Figs. 1 to 9sinclusive, and Fig.'11

of the The other rotor segment 58 is just going out of mesh with the gear 91,

' aJvhich thus, throughthe eccentric 92, has just finished setting'athe resilient supports 13 mward across the support chute or holder 12, V and has, through the pinion 81,'just completed opening of the grippers 5. Thus, the way downinto the chute or.holder 12 is wide open, and the supports 13 are in position to hold an raised orange from going too far down, as it would .These four grippers 5, swinging in from four object coming down into this chute or holder. Also, the segment 57, beginning to mesh with the inion 59, has just previously gone out of mes with the pinion 102, by which meshing a wrapper-length of the wrapper strip B was fed out across the top 3 over the opening down into the chute or holder 12, as shown.

, Upon further turning of the rotor 56 in the direction of the arrows (Figs. 6 and 8) the sector 47 will be tilted down to release the orange C, and the cutter blade 37 will be pulled down, both through the action of the pinion 59. The orange will drop quickly,'but

the descent of the cutter 37 is'slower, so that the orange, slightly depressing the wrapper into the opening between the grippers 5, is holding the wrapper stretched at the blades 33 and 37, so that these can sever the'wrapper cleanly without drawing it down into the slot of the top 3 next to these cutters. This article-releasing and wrapper-severing will completed in the first half turn of the pin- 1 1on 59 and in the next half turn the sector 47 will be tilted up again, receiving the next orange C, 'and the ciltter blade 37 will be again to its uppermost position as shown. 1

The segment 57, upon going out of mesh with the pinion 59,.immed1ately begins meshing' with the pinion 7 6, which, during its first half turn, will pull the positive article feeder 54 down so that this feeder pushes the orange 0 down past the open grippers 5 into the chute or holder 12, between the resilient sup 'ports 13 therein. The wrapper, having been severed, and being under the orange, is crnnped up all aroundthe orange between the orange and the sides of the chute or holder 12, into a cup shape the 11 per crimped rim parts of which extend up etween the grip pers 5, while the top of the orange is slightly below the horizontalplane of these grip rs. The positive feeder 54, by having a de 'te range of action, stops pushing the orange 1 v 110 resilient supports 13, gently but firmly pressdown at this position just described; and the ing around the lower .portions of the orange andthe wrapper therearound, prevent the ifleft to the action-of gravity. This push-. ing of the orange downwardis completed in i the first half turn of the pinion 76; and in the finalhalf turn the positive feeder again is raised to its highest position.

The segment 57 going out of mesh with the pinion 76, at once begins meshing with the wide pinion 81 which, by the complete revolution it thus receives, closes the grippers to the positions shown in Fig. 10.

sides of the upper parts of the cupped- 1p wrapper B, drawthese upper parts evenly i1- ward aroundthe upper portions of the orange gradually until, having reached their con- 'oletely closed position,they have compressld I a short neck ing those parts of portion of the wrapper in the cross-shaped space A (Fig. 10) which they then define with their spurs 6, in such manner that this portion cannot turn with the orange and the lower part of the wrapper when these latter receive their rotation with the support chute or holder 12. During this. operation the gears 90 and 91 also will be turned, but they will cause no action, as they are turning in the direction in whch they cannot operate 7 the eccentric 92 through its clutch in 93.

As the segment 57 goes out of mes with the pinion 81', leaving the grippers 5 closedand gripping the wrapper as ust described, it immediately begins meshing with the pinion 96, to giveit a complete revolution by which it gives the sup ort or holder 12 a complete revolution. ThlS chute or holder 12, firmly holding the orange and the surrounding lower parts of the wrapper by its resilient support strips 13, gives the orange and these lower parts of the wrapper a complete revolution relative to the upper parts of the wrapper held within the grippers 5, tightly twistthe' wrapper extending from the grippers 5 down to the top of the orange, forming the neck D and leaving the short tuft E above the twist. At the end of this twisting revoliltion of the chute or holder 12, its opening 20 again will be at the upper end of the delivery through 106.

As the segment 57 unmeshes with the pin.- ion' 96, the rear segment 58 at once begins meshing with the gear 91, which now is turned in the opposite direction from that in which it previously was turned, so that it rotates the eccentric 92 by means of the clutch pin 93. The eccentric 92 thus pulls the lever 17 down, withdrawing the control ring 15 downward, retracting the upper interior conical surface of the ring from the noses 14 of the resilient support strips 13, which thus 7 are allowed to spring outward from under the wrapped orange, which, no longer will be supported by these-strips. This downwai'd retraction of the control ring 15 occurs in the first half turn of the eccentric 92; and in the final half tu'rn thereof the lever 17 isv raised,

returning the ring 15 to its upper position,

again forcing the strips 13 inward across the chute or holder 12.

This turning of the gear 91, and with it the gear 90, causes also a com let'e revolution of the wide pinion 81, throug its meshing with the gear 90, in direction op osite tov that in '2; whichit was turned previous y when it closed the grippers 5; so that by this present complete turn it opens the grippers again to the position shown in Fig. 9. Th1s openlng of the grippers 5 thus be ins simultaneously with the beginning of re ease of the support strips 13 outward; so that by the time these have ceased to support the wrapped orange, as above described, the grippers 5 also have moved to half open position, entirely out of Thus, the simultaneous release the Wrappe orange .from these gri pers 5 and from the support strips 13-, t e wrapped orange is allowed to drop down onto the inclmcd bottom 21 of the chute 12, toroll out through the opening 20 into the delivery trou h 106. 4

AFso, as the front segment 57 goes out of mesh with the inion 96 it immediatel be gins meshing w th the pinion 102, to which it imparts a complete revolution simultaneously with the release of the wrapped orange by the rear sigment'58 and ear 91 as just described; and this gives tie lower wrapperfeed roll 28 a complete revolutionffeeding the next wrapper-length of wrap strip B out across the topL3,,com pleting th e cycle of openitions of the nachme.

4 m practice, or wra I oranges or the, like, the fe e if trough 44 may lead from the sizing machine, and the delivery trough 106 may lead directly to the crate or. box in which the wrapped fruit is shipped. By having two or more distinct operations cfl'ected simultaneously and largelythrough the same operating elements, as above described, the machine is made simple fruit such as struction, and ca able of relative y rapid operation with 'litt e liability of derangement.

The fruits are graded in many different sizes, 1

but the gripper and support parts of my machine need not be of so many different sizes, as the neck D formed by the grippers may be the same size on all sizes of fruit, and the support strips 13, convergin as they do, will support any one of severa different sizes of fruit. However, a machine for each size of fruit is p reierable, although several machines, for several slightly different sizes of fruit, maybe identical as to size of gripper and support or holder mechanism; because by having a machinefor each size of fruit the direct delivery into the boxes, as above mentioned, is ssible, each box being re uired to contain ruit of o'nly'one size.

ifarious modifications may occur in practice, to meetvarious conditions, and while I have disclosed my invention rather specifically in order that it may readily be understood, I do not .wish to be understood as be ing limited to such precise disclosure, but having thus fully disclosed my invention as required, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentis:

1. In a wrapping machine, an article holder and gr pm'gmeans relatively rotatable, said hol or having an entrance along the axis of rotation," and said grip ing means comprising grippers-- fulcrume 'at points' spaced around sald entrance, and an element rotatable around said. entrance and connected to said grippers whereby said moved from separated open positions 'at sides sitions across s'aidentrance. 1'

of saidentranoeto' approached gripping po- 2. a wrapping machine, an article holder and gri ing means relatively rotat able, saidholderhaving anentrance along the axis of rotation, and said gripping means comprising grippers fulcrumed, at points spaced around said entrance, being curved around said entrance 1n open positions and an element rotatable around .saidentrance and connected to said grippers-whereb said grippers, on rotation of said element, are moved from said open positions" to approached gripping positions across 'said entrance.

3, Inacwrapping machine, an article holder and gripping means relatively rotat able, said holder having an entrance along the axis of rotation, and said gripping means comprising grippers fulc'rumed at. points spaced around said entrance, said grippers being curved around said entrance in open tpositions, and each. grippen-having aspur directed toward said entrance, an an. ele- 9 from said open said 'entrance ment rotatable around said entrance and con-- nected' toseid grippers-whereby said.grippers, on rotation of said element, are moved positions to positions across Wlth? .said spurs closely 4 ap preached to each other near said'axis ofrotation.

. ping means comprisin 4. In a wrapping machine, wrapper-gripa support, a ring cir- 'cumferentially rotata le on said support, grippers fulcrumed on said suppogt at spaced points around said-ring, each comprising a. straight part extending from its fulcrum cross and spaced away from said ring and a, curved part ofl'fset from' the straight part toward saidring, curving around-the inteparts'and said ring.

ping means comprism rior opening of the ring unde'r thej straight part'of the adjacentgripper, and slidable connections between the respective curved j; 5. In awrapping machine, wrapper-gripa support", a ring circumferentially rotata le on said support, grippers-fulcrumed on saidsupport at spaced points around said rings, eachcomprising a;

I .straight partextending from its fulcrum across and "spaced away from said ring and a curved part ofiset from the straight parttoward said ring,curving around the interior opening of the ring under the straight'part of the ad'acent gripper and having aspur directed rom the inner edge of its curved part toward the center of the ring, adjacent W to the ofisetof the gripper, and slidable con- .nections between the respective 'curved parts and-said'ring 6 a wrapping machine, an article hold er, and ipping ineans relatively rotatable, said ho der having an entrance along the said grippers axis of rotation and comprising expansible means with article-holding sides converging away from said movement awa of the holder,

entrance and fixed against fromsaid entrance axially or-holding an article slightly inward from 'said entrance, and said grip-- ping means having having an operation from 'trace at one end-of said interior, support 61,

mcnts connected to the walls of said interior at intervals therearound negr-said entrance,

means for causing said elements to converge from said entrance in varying degrees, and

gripping means having an-operation from open position aside from sald'entrance to a closed gripping position across said entrance. 7 8. In a wrapping machine, an article holder having a cylindrical interior and rotatable on the axis of said interior,- with an open entrance at one end of said interior sup ort elements connected to the walls or sai interior at intervals therearound near said entrance, means for causing said elements to converge from said entrance in varyingdegrees, gripping means having an operation from open position aside from said entrance to a closed gripping position across said entrance, and article-feedingfmeans hav- 1n sald entrance into said holder axially thereoi.

9. 'In a wrapping machine, an article a definite range of movement throughholder and gripping means relatively rotat-v able, said holder having an entrance along the axis of rotation and comprising expansible means with article-holding sides convergiiig away from said entrance and fixed against movement away from said entrance axiall 01: the holder, for holding anarticle slight y inward from said entrance, and said gripping means having an operation from open position aside from said entrance to a closed gripping positionacross said entrance, means forspreading a wrapper across said gripping means and said entrance, means for placing an [article on said wrapper'within the lateral limits ei said entrance, ariji article- -feeding means having a definite iiiiange of movement from f'iond' the placed; article through said entrance into said'holder axially thereof. f

I 10: In a wrapping machine, ah article holder and gripping-mea relatively rotatable, sa1d holder having an entrance along y the axis of rotation, and said grippingmeans 4 having an operation from open position aside fromsaid entrance to a closed gripping position across said entrance, means for spread-.

ing one end part of a strip of wrapping material across said gripping means and said entrance, means for placing an article on said end part within the lateral limits of said entrance, and means for severing-said end part from said strip while said article is in place on said end part.

11. I11 a wrapping machine, an article holder having a cylindrical interior and rotatable on the axis of said interior, with an open entrance at one end of said interior, resilient support elements having ends fixed to the walls of said interior at intervals therearound near said entrance, said holder having lateral openings and said elements having noses extending out through the respective openings, and a; control ring embracing and slidable axially .along said holder and hay ing an interior conical surface engagingsaid noses for causing said elements to converge from said entrance in varying degrees. 9

12. In a wrapping machine, an article holder and gripping means relatively rotatable, said holder having an entrance along the axis of rotation, and saidg'ripping means having an operation from 'open position aside from said entrance to a closed position across said entrance, article feeding means discharging toward said entrance, a 'loop extending from side to side of said article-feeding means around said entrance, and means acting through said loop into said entrance to force an article into said entrance, said loop being spaced from said entrance to' admit a wrapper across said entrance and said gripping means.

'13. In a wrapping -machine, an articlefeeding device, a wrapper-gripping device, a wrapper-feeding device, and a releasable holder receivin articles through said grip ping device, and mechanism having repeated cycles of operations to simultaneously first *release and then reset the holder, open the gripping device, and operate the wrapper-" feeding device to feed a wrapper, then to successively operate the article-feeding device to feed an article and the wrapper through the gripping device into the holder, close the .grippmg device, androtate the holder.

14. In a wrapping machine, a first articlefeeding device, a second article-feeding device, a wrapper-gripping device, a wrapperfeeding device, and a releasable holder receiving articles and Wrappersthrough the gripping device, and mechanism having repeated cycles of operations to simultaneously first release a"..d then. reset the holder, open the gripping device to permit passage of an article and wrapper, and operate the wrapperfeeding device to feed a wrapper, then to successively operate the first article-feeding device to sup ly an article, operate the second article-fee in device to feed the article and the wra per t rough the gripping device into the hol er, close the gripping device, and rotate the holder.

vprojecting means, and devices successively engaged by said meansupon rotation of said rotor to successively supply a wrapper, su ply an article to the wrapper, draw and hold the wrapper around the article with art of the wrapper extended from the artic e, grip the extended part of the wrapper, rotate the article and the article-surrounding art of the wrapper relatively to the grippe part, and then ungrip the wrapper part and release the article and wrapper together.

16, In a wrapping machine, a rotor having pro ecting means, article-feeding mechanism, wrapper-gripping mechanism, articleand-Wrapper holding and rotating mechanism, and wrapper-feeding mechanism, said mechanisms being successively engaged and operated by said projecting means, in the order mentioned, upon rotation of said rotor.

17. In a wrapping machine, a rotor having projecting means,a first article-feedingmechanism, a second article-feeding mechanism, wrapper-gripping mechanism, article-andwrapper holding and rotating mechanism, and wrapper-feeding mechanism, said mechanisms being successively engaged and opergaged and operated'by one projecting means,

in the order mentioned, upon rotation of said rotor, the operation of the wrapper-gripping.

mechanism being to grip thewrapper, and releasing means for the holding mechanism, said releasing means being engaged by the second projecting means and engaging the gripping mechanism, simultaneously releasing f and resettingsaid holding mechanism and releasing thewrapper from the gripping mechanism, after the holder-rotating operation.

19. In a wrapping machine, a rotor having projecting means, article-feeding and wrapmechanism, article-and-wrapper holding an rotating mechanism, and wrapper-strip-feeding mechanism, saidmechanisms being sues. cessively engaged and operated by said proecting means, in the order mentioned, upon rotation of said rotor, v e

In a wrappin machine, arotor havin two ,circi mferentia y \and axially spaced toothed segments, pinions successively meshed with one of said segments on rotation of said rotor, whereby said pinions ire successively rotated in direction, op

of tlie rotor rotation, two un tary coaxial gears, out of the path-of the one Segment, one

per-strip-severing mechanism, a second arti cle-feedlng mechanism, wrapper-gripping posits to that V gear meshing with oneof said pinions on Io tation of said rotor, whereby, when this pinion is-meshed by .the one segment, said gears are rotated in the same direction as that of the rotor rotation, and the other gear meshing withthe other segment on rotation of said rotor, whereby said gears are rotated in direction opposite to that of rotation of ther'otor.

and said one pinion is rotated in the same direction as that of the rotor rotation, mechanisms operatively connected to the respective pinions and actuated by the rotations of the pinions, the mechanism connected to the one pinion being actuated by both rotations of said pinion, and mechanism comprising ratchet means by which it is operatively'connected to said gears to be actuated only by the rotation of said gears in direction oppositeto that of the rotation of the rotor, said mechanisms being adapted, when so actuated, to performvarious operations upon an article and a wrapper, to wrap the article.

' 21. In a wrapping machine, a rotor having a plurality of projections, a plurality of mechanisms adapted, when actuated, to perform various operations upon an article and a having a ratchet relationto said other. one of said} mechanism, so that this other mechanism is actuated one way only, by only one of said rotor projections, I y I 22. In a wrapping machine, a rotor having a pro'ection, a plurality of mechanisms adapted, w en actuated, to perform various operations upon an article and a,wrapper, to wrap the article, means comprised in the respective mechanisms, successivelyenga 'ed by said to tor projections, to actuate said mechanism, said rotor having an additional vprojection, and means whereby each mechanism isheld stationary between actuations, under'the control of said additional projection so as to release the respective mechanism for actuation when about to be engaged by the first mentioned rotor projection- H 23. In a wrapping machine, a rotor having a toothed segment, pinions successively meshed with said segment on rotation of said rotor, whereby said pinions -are successively rotated, detent elements rotating with the respective pinions, pawls yieldingly en aging the respective'detentelements to hold t e pinions stationary, and engaging means rotating with said rotor to disengage each pawl y from the detent element as the respective pinion is meshedhy said segment, and mechanisms operatively connected to the respective pinions, each actuated by rotation of the respective pinion to perform-a distipct operation comprised in the process of Wrapping an articley 24. .In a wrapping machine, a rotor having two circumferentially and axially spaced toothed segments, a plurality of toothed wheels, certain ones o which are successively meshed w1t-h one segment on rotation of the rotor, and another one of which toothed Wheels is meshed with the other segment as said IOtOIIfitfitGS and also is in mesh with one of the first mentioned toothed wheels, which thus receives an opposite rotation, detent elements rotating with respective ones of the first. mentioned toothed wheels, pawls yieldingly engaged with the respective detent elements to hold the pinions stationary, and two circumferentially and axially spaced, engaging means rotating with said rotor, all of said pawls having means engageable by one of directions also haying means engageable by the other one of said rotor projections, ,to dissaidrotor engaging means andthe pawl of the toothed wheel receiving rotations in both engage each pawl from its detent means when the respective toothed wheel is rotated, and mechanisms operatively connectedto the respective toothed wheels, each actuated by rotation of the respectivetoothed wheel to perform a distinct operation in the process of wrapping an article.

25'. In a wrapping machine, a rotary article holder having an openend, and a plurality of wrapper-gripping elements each having a' spur closing together across said end. and

bringing said spurs close together near the center of said open end.

26. 'In a'wrapp'ing machine, gripping elements approaching from various directions to hold a wrapper around an article while twist ing. thewrapper together at one side of the article, and relatively rotatable members bo th connected to each of said elements to cause approach of said elements by the relative roa tation of said members.

SOWDEN. 

